This invention relates generally as indicated to an odor control product dispenser, including a cabinet having isolated compartments for housing a fan and a disposable container for housing both the odor control product and a battery for powering the fan. The fan induces a flow of air through the cabinet and across the exposed surface of the odor control product to aid in its evaporation and distribution throughout the environment where the dispenser is located. While such a dispenser is particularly suited for use in dispensing air fresheners in restrooms and locker rooms and the like, it should be understood that such a dispenser may be installed anywhere that it is desired to freshen or otherwise treat the air.
It is generally known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,848 to provide a system for inducing air flow past a gel type odor control product to aid in the distribution of the product in vaporized form into the environment to be treated. However, there is still a need for a dispenser that more effectively maintains a substantially constant level of fragrance within the room as the potency of the fragrance diminishes with time. Also, there is a need for a dispenser that more efficiently directs a precise volume of air across the odor control product, and has provision for adjusting the air flow to allow tailoring the dispenser output to a particular application.
Furthermore, there is a need for a disposable container for the odor control product which not only exposes a relatively large surface of the product to the air flowing through the dispenser, but also provides for the increase of such surface area and increased turbulence of the air passing over the product as the product is used up to accelerate the rate of vaporization of the remaining product to maintain a substantially constant level of fragrance as the potency of the fragrance diminishes with time.
In addition, there is need for such a disposable container that incorporates the odor control product in the top portion and a battery for powering the fan in the bottom portion for ease of replacement of the odor control product and battery as a unit, with provision for keying the container into the cabinet to ensure that the battery is properly oriented with respect to the fan motor contact strips and is prevented from riding up over the contact strips.
Also, there is a need for a dispenser of the type described which is relatively compact and substantially modular in construction, making it easier to service and repair without the use of any tools or the like.